Afshan Jafar

Afshan is originally from Pakistan. She came to the U.S. for her undergraduate and graduate studies (Ohio Wesleyan University and University of Massachusetts, Amherst respectively). She is now an Assistant Professor of SociologyatConnecticutCollege. Her research and teaching interests are globalization, transnational women’s movements, fundamentalist and nationalist movements, gender, and the body. Her first book, Women’sNGOsinPakistan (Palgrave Macmillan, August 2011) uncovers the overwhelming challenges facing women’s NGOs and examines the strategies used by them to ensure not just their survival but an acceptance of their messages by the larger public.

She lives in Connecticut, with her husband Michael and their two daughters, Aleena and Lilah.

Most Recent Articles

I like tigers. The animal, that is, not the human variety that has cropped up lately. Amy Chua’s book “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom” has gotten a lot of attention in the press for the shocking admissions of her parenting style. I won’t discuss her parenting here. But since she is a professor at Yale Law School, her book made me wonder: what is she like in the classroom?

Ever see this clip from Seinfeld?It captures how we all feel about telemarketers calling us at home. Now if only I could figure out a way to get this message across to my students. No, they haven’t called me at home (probably because I haven’t made my number public) but they email me – constantly. They email me at midnight, 3 am, 6 am, while I’m on vacation, and while we’re on semester break.

I see the change in some of my first-year college students as the semester progresses. The once energetic, curious, wide-eyed faces start to develop dark circles around their eyes. They come and tell me they’re staying up late, that they feel overwhelmed, under pressure, uninspired, alienated.What kind of students are these? Contrary to what you may be quick to conclude, they are some of my best! And I’m lucky enough to have some fantastic students.